Four local churches supported by theKnoxville-Knox County Office of Housing Stability (OHS) will open their doors as temporary, public overnight warming centers to anyone who needs a warm, indoor space on dangerously cold nights when temperatures drop below 25 degrees, beginning Dec. 1, 2024, and continuing through Feb. 28, 2025.
LOCATIONS:
• North — Fountain City United Methodist Church, 212 Hotel Rd.
• South — Vestal United Methodist Church, 115 Ogle Ave.
• East — Magnolia Avenue United Methodist Church, 2700 E. Magnolia Ave.
• West — Cokesbury Church at 9919 Kingston Pk.
Schedules will vary by site, and up-to-date bulletins will be sent to first responders, homeless outreach teams, hospitals, media outlets and other service providers.
OHS is assisting by coordinating volunteer services. Volunteers are needed to deliver meals, set up cots, check people in, or stay overnight. If you would like to volunteer for this community-wide effort, please go to KnoxTNHousing.org and click “Give Help.”
Some supplies are also needed. During last year’s warming center effort, more than 1,000 blankets were donated by the community, and the majority of those blankets have been cleaned for reuse this year. If you would like to donate supplies, please call Knox Area Rescue Ministries at (865) 673-6540 or email [email protected].
The following items are needed, either used or new: sleeping bags, blankets, and scrubs of all sizes. The following items are needed, purchased new only, please: toiletries, socks and underwear of all sizes.
